← G527 G529 →

ἀπαντάω

apantáō

G528 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

to go out to meet, to encounter, to come upon someone or something. In its primary sense, ἀπαντάω describes the action of proceeding toward someone or something in order to come into contact, whether intentionally to receive, greet, or join, or more generally to encounter along the way. The verb can include both literal and metaphorical senses of meeting or encountering.

Semantic Range

to go out to meet, to come forward to encounter, to greet by meeting, to meet by chance or arrangement, to intercept, to join in reception

Root / Etymology

Compound of ἀπό (from, away) and a stem related to ἀντάω (to meet), yielding the sense of going forth to meet or encountering (with ἀντάω itself relating to facing, meeting, or standing opposite).

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, ἀπαντάω commonly described going out to meet someone, often with emphasis on the intentionality or directional movement toward the other. By the Hellenistic and Koine periods, it generally meant to come out to meet, to meet along the way, or to encounter, whether by design or by chance. In the Septuagint and New Testament, the verb often describes going out to receive someone (e.g., meeting returning family, or a dignitary), underlining hospitality, honor, and formal greeting. It is distinct from συνάνταω (to meet with, usually by arrangement or coincidence) and other verbs for 'gathering' or 'assembly.' English translations as 'meet' sometimes obscure whether the meeting is intentional or accidental; ἀπαντάω more often includes the nuance of purposeful greeting or encounter, though context determines the precise shade of meaning.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἀπό and a derivative of ἀντί; to meet away, i.e. encounter:--meet.

Root Family

ἀπαντάω (apantaō) — to meet, to encounter, to go out to meet

Root ἀπαντ- to meet, to encounter, to come upon

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G528-01 ἀπαντήσει apantesei V FUT ACT IND 3P SG will meet will go out to meet will meet 1
G528-02 ἀπήντησαν apentesan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL met they went out to meet they met 1

Occurrences in Scripture

2 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G528-01 Mark 14:13 ἀπαντήσει apantesei V FUT ACT IND 3P SG will meet will go out to meet will meet
G528-02 Luke 17:12 ἀπήντησαν apentesan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL met they went out to meet they met
← G527 Greek Lexicon G529 →